Just One More Kiss
by Ladie Fuyuki
Summary: [AU]Natsu and Juvia first met at Gray and Lucy's wedding. Juvia pines for her long-time friend Gray, while Natsu still holds feelings for his best friend/ex-girlfriend Lucy. They entered a rather "intimate" alliance to break up the happy couple. Will they succeed? Love-Square (NaVia/GrUvia/NaLu/GraLu) Mature themes & language.
1. Just Once

**Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and its characters belong to Hiro Mashima and the publishers. All rights reserved.**

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 **Chapter 1: Just Once**

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If you love someone, let them go. If they come back, then hold onto them and never let go.

That's her new mantra. That's her current motto. If she doesn't make herself believe that, she would completely fall apart into pieces, unable to be patched back.

Right now, those words are the scotch tape that holds onto her tattered pieces. Those words are the bandage the keeps the blood from oozing out.

Yes, Juvia Lockser is broken-hearted.

She just witnessed the man, whom she's head over heels in love with, took an oath and slipped a wedding ring into the fourth finger of his girlfriend (now-wife) of five months.

Five months! Can you believe it? That's how long it took Juvia the courage to call him by his name! And yet this girl only took five months to hear the words Juvia longed to hear for more than five years.

Amidst the loud cheering and gleeful congratulations from the guests, Juvia stood frozen on the ground. There was a stiff smile on her face, but water was welling in her eyes. She needed to get out. Soon she found herself at the hotel's balcony, away from the joyous celebration inside the party hall.

The view was the illuminated garden path. The velvety sky was the colour of midnight blue. Glistening stars littered it, giving the atmosphere such a romantic feel.

"Ugh," she let out finally. "Worst day!"

"You think so too?"

A gruff voice pulled her out of her own world. Her head snapped to her left to stare at the man standing a few feet away. A cigarette was sticking on the side of his lips. A glass of liquor, with ice clanking the side walls, was held tightly in his left hand. He placed it on the wide balcony railing. He took a puff of his cig and proceeded to crush it on the marble floor.

No class at all, was what Juvia thought.

"In love with the groom?" he asked without looking at her.

Juvia frowned. Did he hear her thoughts? "What are you talking about?" she managed to say. She wasn't in the mood for this type of conversation, especially with a stranger with pink hair.

"Don't tell me you're like my love rival for Luce's attention? Ugh, that stupid ice princess was enough."

"Juvia doesn't really comprehend what you're saying, Mr. Pink Stranger."

He laughed a very delicious laugh. It was the kind of laugh that could be infectious — like a little kid who got so enamoured with the simplest pleasures. "You talk funny, Juvia."

Her frown was getting more and more pronounced. She was aware her speech pattern can be bewildering to many, but what can she do? She grew up with a strict and eccentric uncle who taught her that pronouns _I_ and _ME_ sound so arrogant and disrespectful. Even after leaving her uncle's care, Juvia just never got around to changing her speech style.

But, this pink-haired stranger didn't need to know her backstory.

"Juvia hasn't introduced herself to you formally, so you have no privilege to call her name so casually."

"Aww, Juv, why so cold?" he winked at her. He picked up his liquor glass, took a whiff, and then gulped it in one shot. He eyed the untouched wine glass in Juvia's hand. "You should drink something stronger to cure the pain of a broken heart," he gave an unsolicited advice, ending his statement with a toothy smile.

Juvia considered splashing the pinkette the contents of her drink, but decided she didn't want a scene. "Why are you acting as if you know what goes on in Juvia's head?"

He shrugged. "Cause you're showing the same expression as me." He fully turned to face her, and then extended his hand. "Name's Natsu Dragneel. Lucy Heartfilia-now-known-as-shitty-Fullbuster, unless I do something about it, best friend, ex-boyfriend, former fiancé, childhood playmate, first sex partner, first kiss, and neighbour-since-birth." He waited for Juvia to shake his hand. When she made no move, he inched closer and took her hand himself. He shook it vigorously, but didn't let go until Juvia pulled her hand away.

"Juvia."

"That's it? Come on, woman, gimme more. We're both bored here, drinking our sorrows away."

She decided to humour him. "Juvia Lockser. Marketing Manager at Fiore International Media, Magnolia branch. Gray Fullbuster's co-worker and friend. Hates pink items that talk."

Natsu laughed that laugh again. Juvia remained stoic. "Unrequited love, huh?" He stepped closer to Juvia, his green eyes staring directly at her sapphire ones.

If there's one thing Juvia truly hated, aside from rain of course, was when someone couldn't mind their own business. _Juvia already hates him._

"Aww, don't be like that," he whined.

"Oh, Juvia didn't think you'd hear it."

Natsu snorted. "I happen to have great sense of hearing. Anyway, your refusing to answer my question gave it away. I guess you're in love with that Fullbuster-dick, huh."

"Don't tarnish Gray's name like that, Pink boy!" Juvia shot daggers at him. In her annoyance, she downed the whole wine within seconds. She huffed and turned sideways so she wouldn't face him. Funny though why she didn't just walk away. But what were her options? Go back inside the reception hall and be witness to the suffocating cheeriness of the happy couple yet again? The first moment she laid eyes on Gray, Juvia already planned a much better wedding reception. This one paled in comparison to what she had in mind. Hmmph, Gray's loss…

"Wanna leave this boring event and go to the hotel's bar? I heard they have a great collection of liquor. We can put it under FullBALLSter's tab!"

Juvia once again glared at him. Thirty minutes later, she slammed her who-knows-how-many-now empty shot glass on the mahogany counter of the hotel bar. The pink-haired dude proved to be a better drinking companion than she expected.

The bartender was eyeing them, but professionalism kept him from saying anything. The two were blatantly dissing a bimbo named Lucy and a small dick called Gray. He left them be after delivering another decanter of liquor. After forty-five minutes of heavy drinking, Natsu brought her to his hotel room.

It was Juvia who suggested they have sex.

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Moans and grunts. Clothes being ripped from the flesh. The taste of smooth skin, leaving bites and marks all over. It was a wild rendezvous but only two participants were present.

When his lips weren't on hers, it was trailing every part she was allowing. She never really complained. Rather, she let him have her. When foreplay was over, there was some scrambling for protection, and she frustratingly touched her aching self. As soon as he sheathed himself, he pounced and slammed, driving both of them to indescribable ecstasy.

Both only lasted one round.

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Natsu felt cold and warm at the same time. Without even opening his eyes, he knew the coldness came from being completely exposed and naked. The warmth came from the skin contact on top of his chest. He was drunk, but he was aware of his night activity. Finally, he cracked open a lid and immediately saw a blue head resting on his upper body. The owner of the blue head had her bare and quite plump breasts pressed against his side. God, he hoped his "treasure" wouldn't stand erect and firm from just the thought of it.

Natsu tried to device a way to move the woman named Juvia without waking her up. The last thing he wanted was an angry one-night stand. He preferred his one-night stands to be casual and nonchalant. Sorta, oh thanks, bye, let's not see each other again. That's how he always rolled.

She began to stir and Natsu quickly closed his eyes. He would just put on his best act of a sleeping, still drunk man.

Juvia felt her throat to be completely dry, so she coughed a little. She felt sticky all over and quite sore. Sudden dawning of the previous night's rendezvous with a 'pink stranger'! When was the last time she had sex? The year after graduation in university? God, that long, huh! A blanket was partially draped over her, but she didn't feel cold. The man who became her pillow provided her enough warmth for a comfortable sleep.

Yup, Juvia had a good night's sleep! She drank a lot, but she was aware of what she did and said. Heck, she was the one who gave into her arousal first. In Juvia's mind, why not experience a mindless, no-emotions-involved sex when her heart was already crushed into pieces? Nothing wrong with that.

Juvia slowly sat up and pulled the blanket to cover her naked body. The pink-haired stranger named Natsu was still fast asleep, softly snoring. She rose from the bed cautiously, praying to the powers there be that he wouldn't wake. She's never done this before—one-night stand. Part of her felt a little liberated for taking such a risk; part of her felt pathetic. She gathered her belongings strewn all over the floor, and then glanced at the pink-haired stranger. Amazingly, he was still fast asleep. Juvia proceeded to the bathroom.

She slowly zipped up the green dress and checked herself in the mirror. She's not too fond of the colour green, but this was the theme Gray's now-wife chose. Surprisingly, or maybe not, Juvia wasn't even asked to be included in the entourage. She and Lucy were civil with each other, but there was this awkwardness around them.

Smoothing over her wavy blue tresses, Juvia deemed herself ready for the walk-of-shame. Tiptoeing, she opened the bathroom door. It was still silent. But when she stepped out, her one-night stand sat on the bed, wearing only his slacks, checking his phone. She thought about retreating to the bathroom once again, but he instantly looked up.

Natsu cleared his throat. "Bathroom hogger." He stood up, strolled past her, and made shut the bathroom door behind him. Juvia stood frozen on the spot, unable to make an automatic decision on what to do. Should she leave without saying anything? Should she wait and make things more uncomfortable? When her mind egged her to just leave, Natsu came out of the bathroom.

"Oh, you're still here," he stated. He still didn't cover his exposed upper body. "Uhhh… thanks for last night, I guess."

Juvia let her eyes roam around the room without looking at him. "Yeah sure. I won't see you ever again, so…" She turned around and headed to the door. "Bye!"

Natsu didn't respond at all. That went better than he thought.

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 _to be continued..._

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 **a/n: To those who know me, you're probably wondering why am I starting a new fic! I don't know either... I have several ongoing fics that I couldn't update, and yet I uploaded a new one. But, I just needed to get this out of my head. It's supposed to be an original one (I wanted to upload on Wattpad), but I just pictured Juvia and Natsu... and I can't help just making it a fan fiction.**

 **the majority of the perspective will be on Natsu and Juvia, but I will include Gray and Lucy as well. Be warned that this will be a love-square... All I ask from you guys is to leave a comment if the fic has potential and to keep going with it. Thank you and I hope you all enjoyed it!**

 **Uploaded: 080316 | Edited: 101216**


	2. Think Twice

**Chapter 2: Think Twice**

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"Juvia!"

Her steps automatically halted. She loved hearing that voice calling her name. A bright smile quickly showed on her face despite the stress she's currently experiencing.

"Hi Gray. Welcome back." She greeted him with such energy no one would guess she's in the middle of a crisis.

He looked at her thoughtfully. It was his first day back to work after a month-long absence. "Didn't get to see you early this morning."

Juvia closed the distance between them. Her smile never faded. "I had to go straight to the client's office. There were some problems with the web content we uploaded yesterday."

Gray eyed her. He heard about the major error their company committed, and the accountability obviously fell on Juvia's hands. She was the direct supervisor for such tasks in their company. However, with the way she was talking and smiling, Gray felt like everything was resolved. "So… all's fine?" He still asked.

Juvia shook her head. "Nope. I'll be doing an overhaul of the content writing myself, at no extra charge."

Gray gave a curt nod, unsure whether to question his friend and colleague why she's acting rather energetic about this. "Well, it happens. We took a chance hiring freelancers, and sometimes issues stem from that." Juvia happily agreed. "Anyway, I'm sure Levy had told you about the party this Saturday?"

"Yes of course."

"And you'll be there, right?" His voice was hopeful.

It took her some time to give him her answer. "…Of course."

Gray smiled that rare smile he gives people. It made Juvia's heart beat ten times faster. "Alright, good. Lucy will be happy to hear that. I'll see you later at the meeting." He patted her shoulder and walked away.

As soon as she could no longer see a trace of Gray, the smile on Juvia's face instantly vanished. The bright office atmosphere suddenly felt dim and her mood got gloomier. Not only did her day started terribly, she knew that her day would end in bitterness.

It was already a month since Gray, her beloved and unrequited love, got married. He was one of the senior officers in their agency. Hence, he was able to take a longer time off from work. That whole month that she didn't see Gray was both a blessing and a curse. To set eyes on him gave Juvia the motivation and inspiration. But, seeing him now was a constant reminder that he would never be hers. That he already belonged to someone. It angered and saddened her.

Juvia and Gray met during their second to last year in university. It was a rainy afternoon, and for some reason there was no one at the bus stop. Well, except for Juvia. She got to the stop just as the bus had left. And then the next one on schedule didn't show up. She waited patiently at the shed, quite drenched. She thought that she could outrun the rain but to no avail.

Checking her phone for the twenty-third time, Juvia had a bad feeling the next bus would be late again. It was always like this when it's raining or snowing. Just as she was about to feel totally frustrated, a handsome boy ran to the waiting shed for shelter. Juvia couldn't help stare as he shook the excess water from his umbrella and ran his fingers through messy hair the colour of obsidian. He glanced to the side and eyed Juvia.

"Bus is late, eh."

Juvia just nodded, throat too dry to respond. She knew him. He played for their university's hockey team. She cheered for him during the championship a few months ago. She admired him.

"Hey… I know you. From Humanities 4050, right?"

That beating organ inside her chest pounded strongly. He knew of her? He remembered her?"

Juvia stood from the three-seater bench inside the waiting shed. "Yes, with Prof. Mack."

"I knew it. Juvia, right?"

She gasped, completely taken aback. "You even remembered Juvia's name?!"

"Sure do. You were pretty quiet. But when we were discussing that one movie, you gave a pretty good interpretation. Everyone was so impressed. You're really smart."

At that very moment, the clouds parted and sun rays filled the area. It was still raining, but the atmosphere became lively and pleasant. She used to hate rainy days. But from that moment on, after meeting Gray Fullbuster, Juvia always loved the rain. And that was the day that a wonderful friendship was formed between them.

The memory of their first meeting faded, and Juvia found herself back at the office. Back to the reality of her work and the awful truth that Gray was already someone else's.

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Right… she thought that she had it in herself to face her love rival. Juvia remembered when she first met Lucy Heartfilia, now Fullbuster. The blonde bombshell was a Xerox copy of Gray's ex-girlfriends. Gray had a type, and it was obvious Juvia was so far from it. Gray rarely introduced any of his flings or girlfriends to his friends. He only felt comfortable telling Juvia about them. So, Juvia wasn't really worried when she heard of Lucy.

Gray's group of friends consisted of Juvia, Levy, Gajeel, Laxus, Mira, and Lisanna. All of them were aware of Juvia's feelings for Gray. Out of respect for Juvia, they never mentioned anything to Gray, though they all wondered whether the latter had sensed Juvia's affections. Juvia was blatant with her love declarations, but she always delivered them in a joking manner. Gray would roll his eyes and dismissed them with nonchalance. And Juvia would end her declarations by saying, "You know it's just a joke, Gray!"

So, Juvia's confessions were never taken seriously.

So when Gray introduced Lucy to his group of friends, everyone was surprised. And then five months into the relationship, Gray announced he proposed to Lucy and she accepted. His friends all looked at each other, thinking it would be a shotgun marriage. Juvia felt she lost all hope in life when Gray assured them Lucy wasn't pregnant.

So why was he marrying a girl he only knew for five months? He claimed he felt she was the _one._

Mira told Juvia to finally reveal her feelings for Gray. Lisanna insisted she should just move on. Levy told her to do what she felt right. Laxus supported Mira's advice, kind of. Gajeel didn't say anything at all.

Until an hour ago, Juvia had been constantly receiving messages from her friends. All asking whether she's going to Gray's party.

 _If you still feel like going, Gajeel and I will pick you up.  
_ _-Levy_

 _I'm tellin ya girl! Let's just go to a club and partayyy. Who cares about Gray and her bimbo!  
_ _-Lisanna_

 _Yo Juv. You need a ride? Mira's asking.  
_ _-Laxus_

 _You better go, Juvia.  
_ _-Mira_

 _If we're picking ya up, you better have some of those cookies left.  
_ _-Gajeel_

It took her some time to decide; and by the time she willed herself to go, she was running a bit late. Gray's informal invitation was scheduled at six in the evening. It was already 6:30 pm. She took a cab instead of asking her friends for a ride. Stepping out of the taxi, Juvia smoothed her blue crochet maxi dress and unbuttoned her black cardigan. She wondered if she's dressed quite casually after seeing the big house ahead.

It was a lavish, two-storey detached house, fit for those of the upper class in Magnolia. Gray made enough dough as a Senior Account Executive, but Lucy was the daughter of a rich businessman. Lucy really was a modern day princess.

As she was about to take a step towards the front door, her phone buzzed. Quickly checking the message, Juvia was rendered frozen on the spot. It was a message from Gray.

 _Hey Juvia. You're coming right? Everyone's here and they said you might not come. Lucy would really love to see you.  
_ _-Gray_

Juvia was offended. She was aware of her pettiness; still, she felt insulted by that last statement. Really? Lucy would love to see her? She watched as the hand clutching the phone tightly shook. And as if Mother Nature shared her brewing anger and sorrow, a jolt of lightning lit the evening sky and thunder rolled echoing throughout. As swiftly as the warning of a gloomy weather, drizzles of rain hit Juvia's face. But the woman, though starting to get wet, remained standing where she was.

"What do you think you'd accomplish by getting soaking wet?"

Juvia snapped her head to the side to look at the speaker. She blinked away the droplets of water to get a better view of his face. Pink, tousled hair. Mischievous, toothy grin. A few inches shorter than Gray, with a slender frame but fit built. His familiar face also brought back a hazy memory of alcohol, sweat, and pleasure indulgence.

Yes, it was her one-night stand. An internal groan developed within her. Truly, she made the wrong decision to attend Gray's stupid house party!

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If there was one thing he truly hated, it was being forced. Natsu was always known as a pretty happy-go-lucky dude. Even when he suffered heartbreaks, you can expect him to stay jovial and buffoonish. If he chose to wallow in misery, you'd find him talking to his blue cat named Happy. But when someone forced him through threat tactics, expect Natsu to be in the foulest mood.

So when he drove past Lucy's new house, he cursed out loud in his car. Then, he quickly turned around and passed by it. He parked his car a few blocks away from the house and racked his brain whether to show up or not. What were his options? Hmm, Lucy feeling hurt, but nothing's new with that. Natsu had such a talent of hurting her (and one of the reasons why she permanently broke up with him!). There's also that eerie presence of another friend named Erza Scarlet. She threatened him not to disappoint Lucy—that Natsu needed to show up at this party for Lucy's sake. Ever since he was a kid, Natsu had been scared of Erza. He had done so many activities out of fear, succumbing to Erza-pressure.

So Natsu once again put his car on drive, but he couldn't even press on the brake to park in front of Lucy's driveway. But on the fifth, or maybe sixth, time he was about to drive past the house, a figure with long and wavy blue hair stepped out of a taxi. Natsu immediately knew who it was.

He instantly recalled, albeit quite blurry in memory, a curvaceous body with soft, squishy boobs. Long, smooth legs and a round ass that he probably kept groping with every thrust of his hip.

It was his one-night stand named Juvia.

She was about to go to the door when she stopped frozen on the spot. It soon started to rain, but the seemingly "rain woman" decided to just stay stationery. He watched her momentarily before deciding to step out of his car. He stood a couple of feet away, but she didn't even acknowledge his presence. Natsu nonchalantly posted a question, turning his whole body to the left to face her with arms crossed.

She immediately glanced to her side, perhaps trying to access the deepest part of her brain about him. He was about to remind her of their one-night tryst when she spoke rather softly.

"One-night."

Natsu couldn't help but snicker. "Is that my nickname now?"

"What are you doing here?"

He shrugged his shoulders then took off his faux leather varsity jacket. Erza would frown at his choice of outfit—black straight-leg jeans, white shirt, and black sneakers. Definitely not for a "cocktail" party, as Lucy had texted to him! Natsu really didn't give a damn. He'd wear whatever he felt like wearing for a mid-autumn weather. As for the jacket he just peeled off his body, he placed it on top of Juvia's head.

"Same as you, apparently. Feeling so disgusted of being in front of this house."

She blinked again, her eyes growing bigger as she continued to stare at him. "How do you know what Juvia's feeling?"

Natsu chuckled once more. It was so easy to read her. "Because you and I became of one mind after having sex!"

Though she was late to react, Juvia slammed her right palm to cover his mouth. "Don't say that out loud! What if people heard you?"

Rolling his eyes, Natsu gripped her wrist and pulled it away from his face. "Relax, babe." The rain grew heavier right away. Both Natsu and Juvia, even with Natsu's jacket over her head, became completely drenched. "I'm not going in there. You can keep the jacket and throw it away later." He turned around, deciding that he'd deal with Erza later.

Juvia automatically reached for his shirt. "Wait. Juvia doesn't want to go in either."

Natsu slightly turned his head to eye her. "O…kay. Whatcha want me to do bout it?"

She tightened her hold on his shirt. "C-can you… give Juvia a ride just until the bus stop?"

He faced her, even when his shirt was being pulled. Juvia immediately let it go. "Tell ya what," he leaned forward and bent a little so they were at eye level, "give me a kiss and I'll drive you home." He winked at her, his signature toothy grin etching on his face.

Perhaps the rain was affecting her, but Juvia nodded and moved forward. Her lips immediately met his. It was quick. Didn't even create any spark. Natsu encircled his right arm around her waist. His palm settled on the curve of her back, allowing him to push her forward. She stood on her tiptoes when she realized what he was planning. The jacket sitting on top of her head fell when Natsu tipped her back. He didn't bother, because he's a man on a mission. He wanted access to the inside of her lips.

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"That was my first, ya know."

Juvia scowled. "That couldn't be your first kiss!"

The two were seated inside Natsu's car. Juvia waited patiently as he took time to input her address on his GPS. "I meant kissing in the rain. It's a good experience, I tell ya!" He studied the directions carefully. "Hmm, you live at the opposite direction from me," he stated.

"Then you can just drive Juvia to the nearest subway station."

"With this heavy rain, you think the trains would still be running?"

"It shouldn't be a problem…" she trailed off, quite unsure, checking something on her phone. Magnolia's subway system wasn't the best, but it was reliable. Though when compared to the transit structure in Crocus, Magnolia's was levels down. "Unless there's flooding, but Juvia checked the transit app and it's still running."

"It's fine. I'll take you home. I don't trust trains anyway."

"Well then, thank you. Juvia appreciates it."

"Yeah well," Natsu paused, glancing at her before shifting his gears to drive. "You're a good kisser. It's a give and take." He winked at her before driving away.

They drove without saying anything, with only the radio filling in the silence. The traffic was heavy, and the roads were filled with cars. It was always like this when it's raining.

 _~Colourful, colourful.  
_ _Shooby doo bop!  
_ _Tremble with love, steel grey meta—_

It was cut off. "Ugh, I hate this song!" Natsu was quick to change the radio station.

"Why?" Juvia was quick to protest.

"The lyrics are shit, and his voice ain't that great," answered Natsu. He caught Juvia's expression. She appeared hurt and offended. "Oi… Don't tell me you're his fangirl."

"He worked hard writing those lyrics and spent nights creating the melody. He spent his part-time money on vocal training and guitar lessons!"

Natsu nearly choked. What an obsessive fan. "I can't believe there actually exists a person so in love with Redfox."

"Juvia isn't in love with Redfox," she nearly yelled. She huffed and puffed in anger. "Redfox, also known as Gajeel Redfox, is Juvia's brother."

If Natsu wasn't a seasoned driver, he would've stepped on the brake to gawk at her. "What? No fuckin' way! Really? You're legit Redfox's sister? Wait, I think you gave me the wrong last name."

Juvia shook her head. "Keep your eye on the road, please. And no, Juvia didn't give you the wrong last name. He really is Gajeel Lockser, my older brother. He didn't think Lockser is "hardcore" or cool enough, so he used our mom's maiden name," she explained.

"Wow, I can't believe I'm almost connected to a celebrity," hooted Natsu as he put the car to a slow stop on red light. "That's like second-degree of Kevin Bacon!" Being in his prankster and clown-like element, Natsu pinched Juvia's left cheek much to the latter's annoyance. She swatted his hand away. "I'd be putting on my LinkedIn as soon as I get home that I banged Redfox's little sister as an accomplishment."

Juvia gasped. "You wouldn't! Not only would Juvia attempt to drown you, but Gajeel would stick a piece of metal through you!"

Natsu laughed. "Then you'd have to pay me to keep my mouth shut." His expression turned serious however. "Lucy actually loves Redfox. She made me go to one of his concerts all the way to Hargeon just 'cause the Magnolia one was sold out. Then she had the gall to break up with me the following week."

Juvia didn't say anything, and Natsu chose to keep quiet after that. According to the GPS, they would reach their destination, Juvia's address, in fifteen minutes. They were already in the car for forty-five minutes and the rain wasn't letting up. It took them almost an hour until they were in front of Juvia's apartment.

"Is that it?" Natsu asked as he tried to take a look at the building in front.

Juvia nodded. "Umm… thank you, Natsu."

"Wow, you finally called my name. I'm surprised you remembered it."

She didn't say anything for a minute or two, and Natsu figured she was contemplating on something. When he was about to bid her goodbye, even though she didn't look ready to leave yet, Juvia gave him an invitation he couldn't refuse.

"Can Juvia offer you coffee or tea? The rain is still very heavy, and maybe you can wait until it's a bit better to travel. Juvia feels guilty that she made you drive all the way here. It's going to be worrisome knowing you're driving under this weather. Also, your shirt is still wet. Perhaps Juvia can help you dry it a bit, so you wouldn't catch any colds…" she continued to blab.

Natsu just watched her lips move. "Sure," he replied. Truthfully, he didn't feel like driving anymore. And yes, he was feeling a bit horny if he's being honest to himself. But if she won't permit him some kind of intimacy, he'd be fine with it. Right now, he just wanted some kind of warmth. Warmth from a hot drink or from a tight embrace—didn't matter. He just wanted to accept her invitation.

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 _to be continued..._

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 **a/n: didn't get to edit/proofread this one, but I wanted to share it right away.**

 **Major THANK YOU to the following: glittering-couch-potato, MaouojiKenjiro13, rosaji (as always!), nakneknik, QueenXCaramel, BlackDragonShinigami, wilathewitch, and 3 lovely Guests (hopefully next time you'll share your names!), and to all those who followed/favourited.**

 **Again, please let me know what you think of the progress. it provides me motivation, and it helps me with the direction of the story. To those who know me, I'm a hardcore NaVia writer, but I love Gruvia and find Nalu endearing, though I'm not exactly fond of Gralu... So, do I have an endgame ship here? Not yet, to be honest... Hopefully, many of you enjoy the ride of this love-square. And maybe hold a vote here.**

 **Keep it at M or move it down to T rating?**

 **Uploaded: 080816**


	3. Third Wheel

**Chapter 3: Third Wheel**

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It was a neat place. Too clean for his liking but homey enough to feel welcoming. Plus it was warm inside.

Natsu waited for the blue-haired beauty to grab some dry towels. She told him to get comfortable, but he realized she won't be happy if he got her couch wet. His pants had considerably dried off, but his shirt was still damp. So the only polite behaviour he could think off was to simply stand in the middle of her living room.

Her apartment appeared roomy, though he assumed it wasn't really a big place. It was enough to house a single resident. The entryway to the kitchen was on the left as soon as one enters the front door. A short hallway immediately led to the living room; an island counter (which Natsu deduced served as the dining table) separated it from the kitchen. The living room also led to the balcony. Natsu walked towards the glass windows and peeked through the curtains. The rain continued its downpour, blending the colours of the outside into a blur.

"It's a beautiful sight when the sun is shining," Juvia said from behind. "That's why Juvia rented this place. It's quite small, but the view from the balcony was the deciding factor."

Natsu let go of the curtains and turned to face her. "Is a cool place," he said, shrugging his shoulders. He took the dry towel that she handed and began to dry his damp hair. He eyed the next thing she tried to give him, raising a brow. "Don't tell me that's Fullbastard's shirt."

Juvia frowned but didn't scold him for the offending nickname. "No, it's my brother's. He tends to stay here whenever he's fighting with his girlfriend."

"Ooh, I get to have it? I can totally sell it on eBay and make some dough." He took off his shirt and didn't miss the slight hitching of her breath. "Here, hold this," he handed his damp shirt to her, which she took with a scowl, then took the dry shirt of the famous Redfox. "A little loose."

"Well, Gajeel's a pretty tall and muscular guy."

"And Fullballster's a limp dick. What's your point?"

Juvia draped the damp shirt on couch to let it air dry. "Can you stop with the insults towards the person who can't defend himself?"

Natsu crossed his arms. "But that's what makes it fun! To be able to throw punches and jabs without actually hurting my fist!" He laughed out loud, clearly proud of himself. "I can't say it to the asshole's face because I would offend Luce."

Juvia shook her head in defeat. "No wonder she chose Gray." She meant to say it under her breath but decided to just let him know of her honest thoughts.

Rolling his eyes, Natsu plopped to the couch. As soon as his butt hit the cushion, he immediately relaxed. It was just that damn comfortable! "Nah, Lucy is just having temporary insanity. She'll come around and leave Fulldickster eventually." He could tell he was starting to annoy her.

She stood in front of him, her left hand on her waist and the other pointing at him. "That's not a good thing to say. Juvia might have feelings for Gray, but not to the point of wishing bad thing for their relationship."

"So you don't think you're good enough for Ballbuster?"

"That's not what Juvia said," she argued. "What makes you think you're good enough for Lucy and not Gray?"

"I know everything about her. What makes her tick, what makes her laugh," he paused while smirking, "and what makes her orgasm within a minute or two!"

Juvia gave him a disgusted look. "And yet she still chose Gray."

Natsu didn't take that as an offence. "Yeah, well… because for now he's still a mystery waiting to be solved. She wanted a little bit of adventure. But sooner or later, she'd realize that she doesn't belong with a Fuckbuster. Instead, she belongs with me."

Juvia shook her head, clearly appalled with what she heard. She turned to walk away, but Natsu reached for her hand.

"Tell me Juvia. You don't think Gray suits you more?"

Juvia was caught off guard with the question. She already had the answer to this question, but she was afraid to voice it out.

"Is your silence indicating that Lucy is better for Dickbuster than you then? That it's better for Lucy to be in Gray's arm every fucking night instead of you? That Lucy deserves him better than you?"

"No!" Juvia pulled her hand from his grip. "Juvia knows Gray better than anyone else…" she trailed off, the last of her words barely a whisper. "Gray needs someone to look after him, pamper and baby him. He's been through so much while growing up that he shouldn't be taking care of someone now. He should be the one being taken care of."

Natsu stood up, causing Juvia to take a few steps back to create some distance between them. "And you know deep inside you're that person, right?" He took a step forward, intent on intimidating her somewhat. "And you are sure no one can do a better job at slaving for Fuckballster than you, huh?"

Without thinking twice of the answer, Juvia nodded. She allowed herself to look up at him, blinking quite rapidly. He kept advancing towards her while she retreated. Before her back hit the bookcase just parallel to the couch, Natsu quickly took her right arm, tugged it, and pulled her towards him. They nearly collided, but she had the presence of mind to stop it by placing her palms flat on his chest.

Natsu snickered. "Ya know, Lucy ain't one to baby anybody. She prefers the guy to dote on her, especially when she gets home after a night shift. It doesn't take a fucking genius to know she'd soon get tired of Suckbuster." He lifted Juvia's chin up when she tried to look away from him. "I'm so sure that once he fucks up, Lucy would go running back to me."

"Why are you so confident?" Juvia questioned. "Where are you getting this arrogance from? How sure are you that their marriage won't work?"

Natsu snorted before placing the lightest peck on her lips, making Juvia a bit wide-eyed. "Cause you're gonna help me, babe." He winked at her then went for another taste of her lips. Juvia allowed him access, and he noisily kissed her with vigour. She tensed up when his left hand raked up and down her back while the other squeezed her behind.

"Wait! What do you mean help you?"

Pulling back, he stared directly into her eyes. "We're gonna break them apart." He trailed kisses from her left jaw down to her neck. "We're gonna make Lucy realize I'm better for her." He repeated the same action on her right side. "We're gonna make Foulbuster regret not being with you."

Juvia shook her head. "That's so wrong," she said in a whisper, almost as if unconvinced of what she stated. "H-how are you going to do that?" she asked nonetheless.

Natsu snickered. He touched Juvia's lower lip with his right thumb and proceeded to caress the corner of her mouth. "I don't know yet. But right now, I've something else in mind."

"Juvia only invited you for coffee or tea."

"Only?" He inched his face closer. She kept blinking again but her eyes were set on his as well. "Are you sure not for something else?"

Juvia squirmed against his hold, wanting to free herself. However, her movement only caused for her chest to press against his. Natsu flashed another crooked smile. It was annoying and captivating at the same time. So, Juvia made the first move. Bringing her lips to his, Juvia welcomed his lips for another bout of making out.

He was attracted to her, almost immediately when he laid eyes on her during Lucy's wedding. Yet, Natsu knew that he was taking these steps too quickly. When they were at the elevator earlier, he actually decided he wouldn't try _something_ with her, though he was feeling quite horny. No, he didn't need to make a one-night stand turn into a casual fling.

But was that such a bad idea? Certainly, she was very unintentionally alluring. Like, she wasn't making any conscious part to entice a man. A thought crossed his mind. He didn't even know the colour of her eyes! He pulled away from her, snatching his mouth from hers. She was caught by surprise, her lips still parted.

"S-something wrong?"

Natsu cupped her cheeks to make her still. "Hmm, I thought you had brown eyes. But, I like this more." He moved her face in different angles to analyze the magnetic colour in her eyes. "It's sky blue, but there are like hints of green, purple, and grey in them."

His straightforward analysis made her blush.

"Juvia should offer you something to drink." She announced as she pulled away. Natsu restrained her from moving.

"I'll drink you instead."

"That's so cheesy. And if that's a pick-up line, it's so lame."

He laughed. A real hearty laugh. "You got me. But if I say I want to have sex with you again, will you let me?"

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 _Three weeks later…_

It was too late to back out now. Juvia can't believe that her best friend and soon-to-be sister-in-law put her in this position. Okay, it wasn't exactly Levy's fault. It was more like Gajeel's. Still… Levy should've done everything in her power to stop this cruel fate.

Okay, Juvia can be really dramatic. But, who wouldn't? Especially now that she's impatiently waiting for a ride that would surely feel like hell. And there it was—that all-too-familiar charcoal grey SUV slowing coming into view. It parked just by the curb, and the windows rolled down.

"Hey Juvia!"

Juvia hated that her brain told her mouth to flash him a smile.

"Hi Gray."

However, her smile faded as soon as Lucy Fullbuster's face came into view. She gave Juvia a wave and a small smile. "Hello Juvia. How are you?"

Gray had stepped out of the vehicle and ran to where Juvia stood. He took the small luggage in her hands. "Sorry for the change of plans. I insisted with Levy that I pick you up. You're on the way anyway."

"Yeah…" the only thing she could say. Gray proceeded to place her bag at the back.

Juvia turned her attention to Lucy. "Did you just get off work?"

Lucy scowled. "Yeah. So tiring." And to that, Juvia only nodded. She was about to open the passenger's door when Lucy stopped her. "Wait." Lucy stepped out of the car as well. "I hope you don't mind to ride shotgun. I'll sit at the back so I can lie down a bit."

"S-sure. Juvia doesn't really mind."

With another small smile, Lucy gave her thanks and went to the back of the SUV. Juvia heaved a sigh and got inside.

"Juvia, I hope it's okay. I'll take a nap now. Go and entertain Gray," Lucy tapped Juvia on the shoulder and settled in her reclined seat. She didn't wait for Juvia to respond as she put on her earphones and closed her eyes.

"She worked for twelve hours," explained Gray as soon as he got inside the car.

"You should've stayed home. Mira would understand, you know."

Gray chuckled, shaking his head. "Like I'd miss this annual long weekend getaway. Plus, I told Lucy she can sleep all weekend at the cabin."

"True," was all Juvia could say.

Their destination was at a cottage, owned by Laxus, about four hours away from Magnolia. Mirajane always held a long weekend get-together every year. They had been holding this event for the past nine years, since Laxus and Mira became a couple during university. This year marked their tenth anniversary.

The original plan was for Juvia to hitch a ride with Levy and Gajeel, like usual. However, Gajeel had a last-minute social event appearance he couldn't get out of. The couple would arrive at the cottage at a later time. Juvia would've been okay to wait, but Levy messaged the whole group and voicing her concern for Juvia. Gray was quick to respond to give Juvia a ride. Lisanna offered to drive back and pick up Juvia, but Gray was insistent. Not to make a big deal out of nothing (well, for Juvia it was a BIG DEAL!), Juvia relented. She didn't want Gray to suspect anything.

She also didn't want Gray to feel that she's trying to stay away. At work for example when Gray would invite her for lunch, Juvia always managed to find an excuse. She knew if she continued to spend more time with him, her heart would never learn to let go. It's quite painful not to see him, but it's the only thing she could do to move on.

' _We're gonna break them apart.'_

That sentence kept popping up on her mind for the past three weeks since that night. Juvia reflexively fixed the scarf around her neck, very self-conscious of a fresh mark. The last thing she wanted was for Gray to see it. Though, would he care? Would he be curious? Would he feel jealous?

' _We're gonna break them apart.'_

That's what _he_ declared, and yet he never expanded on it. Juvia knew it wasn't a carelessly-said-comment. There was determination in his voice and confidence in his demeanour that Gray and Lucy will not last.

"—via?" Gray snapped his fingers in front of her face to get her attention. The car came to a smooth halt at a red light, giving Gray the chance to look at her directly.

Juvia blinked away the thoughts plaguing her mind. "Sorry Gray. Did you say something?"

"Well, I've been talking for a while now. All you do is nod or shake your head. I don't think you heard me at all."

"Oh sorry. Just thinking."

"Yeah, I figured," Gray chuckled. "You always get that misty look when you're in deep thought, and the world becomes a blur to you I bet. You don't even hear anything other than the voice in your head."

Juvia had to turn her head to stare at Gray. How he knew her so well!

"So what were you thinking?"

Juvia was about to answer, by making something up, when Lucy's voice interrupted.

"Babe, turn up the heat will ya. I feel cold," she told her husband.

Gray scowled but complied. The stop light turned green and Gray slowly accelerated. Juvia peeked at him and could tell he was annoyed; he hated the heat and always enjoyed the coolness of autumn. Juvia couldn't even help but take a quick glance at Gray's wife. Bitter thoughts ran through her mind.

 _It's cause you're hardly wearing anything!_

Juvia resisted rolling her eyes at Gray's spoiled wife. It's nearing the winter season and yet Lucy was still wearing a skirt, knee-high boots and a vest top. Sure, her sweater was draped all over her upper body, but it still wasn't enough to provide warmth.

"So…" Gray started again. "Lisanna told me you're seeing someone."

"What? W-where did th…that come from?" she stuttered a bit. Did Lisanna find out about her secret liaison with a certain salmon-haired man? Maybe it was about a week ago when she cancelled meeting up with Lisanna. It was because _that pinkie_ randomly showed up at her door without even messaging her. Perhaps Lisanna actually went to her apartment and saw him? That can't be! Did Lisanna read the messages on Juvia's phone? Surely that's not it. Juvia was careful in assigning his name under Contacts. Plus she turned off her notifications, so none of her messages popped out on her locked phone.

"I'm losing you again. It must be true then. You're thinking of someone."

"Of course not!" Juvia denied.

"There's nothing wrong if you're dating. When was the last time you had a relationship?"

Juvia felt like screaming. This was the one conversation she never had with Gray. Never! Gray was quite open to her about his relationships, but Juvia wasn't. He also never showed any interest in her love life, or lack thereof. Why now of all times?

There were some movement from the back. In her peripheral vision, Juvia saw Lucy sitting up straight. She was suddenly interested in the conversation between her husband and his friend, it seemed.

"Don't tell me you haven't forgotten about Bora?"

 _Grrrrrr, there he goes again._

"Who's Bora?"

"I thought you have your earphones on." Gray took a quick glance to his side then furrowed his brows.

"I did, but I could still hear you guys. Who's Bora?" Lucy directed the question to Juvia instead.

Juvia quickly hypothesized the amount of damage she'd get if she jumped out of a moving car while on the fast lane. It would hurt too much, so she might as well go through this torture. "He's an ex-boyfriend," she supplied the answer. Juvia used telepathy on Gray pleading to put a halt to this topic, but it didn't work.

"When did you break up?"

"Uh…" Juvia's mouth felt dry.

Gray answered for her. "When she was twenty-two, right?"

"You're still hung up on an ex-boyfriend for eight years?" Lucy gasped in bewilderment.

"No babe. She's a year younger than me. So, she's been trying to move on for seven years." Gray snorted.

Juvia clenched her fists in anger. She could imagine herself putting these newlyweds in a water bubble of some kind and lock them there for eternity. "Where is this conversation headed?" She finally asked out loud, making sure the annoyance was loud and clear in her voice.

"My bad," Gray gave a half-assed apology.

Lucy was of different story. She clapped her hands in enthusiasm. "I have the perfect guy for you, Juvia."

"Don't tell me it's that pink boy!" Gray was quick to interject.

"What the hell? If you're talking about Natsu, what's wrong with him? He's a great guy!"

Juvia observed Gray's jaw hardening. He's pissed for sure. She tried to say something but the couple ignored her.

"No way am I letting that piece of jerk near any of my friends."

Lucy pounded on the back of Juvia's seat, hopefully unintentional. "Don't call him a jerk. You don't know him enough to say that. Why? Is it because he's my ex-boyfriend?"

The vehicle came to an abrupt stop. Gray decided not to risk running a red light. "Not just that. Juvia's way too good for him."

"You guys know I'm here right?" Juvia asked but was unheard.

"Again, you don't know Natsu at all. And does it hurt to actually say his name for once?" Lucy angrily responded. "Plus, I wasn't even thinking of Natsu for your information."

Gray was about to say something when Juvia had enough. "Okay, STOP!" Her voice was raised but not to the point of yelling. "We are all going to stop talking about Juvia's love life. Case closed!" With that, the couple clamped their mouth shut. Lucy announced she's going back to sleep, and Gray continued to drive silently.

Juvia stared out the window and let her mind drift towards the very topic of the conversation. Natsu Dragneel was the very embodiment of her non-ideal man. Loud, obnoxious, cocky, brusque, vulgar, tactless… and many more negative adjectives. He knew how to drive her _insane_ , especially the things he does with his fingers and tongue. He managed to find the switch of her inner spot, so she could reach her climax within minutes. She could argue to herself that she'd been celibate for a few years, so it'd be easy to please her. But Juvia's no innocent virgin. That annoying 'pinky boy' had managed to bring her to new heights for a new world record (for her) in one session. For Juvia to be generous with positive adjectives to describe him, it would be based on his intimate performance.

Her phone vibrated indicating of a new message. It's from 'Fireball'. It was a picture message of a man hiding his face. On top of his head was a blue cat, acting like a wig. The caption was: Look, we have the same hair colour now!

Juvia couldn't help but giggle. She added "humorous" to his list of attributes. He could make her laugh.

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The cold air was adding to the aching of her shoulders. She should've insisted to her husband her unwillingness to join him. She wasn't exactly comfortable around his group of friends, but she knew that compromise is essential to a successful marriage. Add to the fact that his girl best friend hitched a ride with them. Talk about third wheeling!

It's not that she hated Juvia. Far from it. She just had this feeling in the pit of her stomach there's something beyond friendship between her husband and the woman. Something much deeper than when he was around Mirajane or even the single Lisanna.

Lucy climbed inside the SUV without her presence being acknowledged. They were parked at a rest stop to get food and go to the washrooms. The two friends headed back to the car right away, while Lucy went about her own business. Now, the two were engaged in a serious conversation about work.

Apparently, Juvia had this amazing idea pop in her head and she needed to put it in paper. Observing them closely, Lucy could tell the greatness of their partnership and collaboration. Gray had even mentioned to her that Juvia is amazing to work with. Her brilliance and creativity made them both successful in many of their projects. The scene in front of Lucy was a testament to their effective working relationship.

So why does it feel like she's the third wheel in this scenario? She frowned; she hated feeling left out. At least when Gray was around her group of friends they always make sure to involve him. Erza was always amazing at making everyone feel welcome. Alzack and Bisca, husband-and-wife duo, were always great at creating conversations. Sting, Rogue, and Yukino were fun-loving individuals. It was only Natsu that rarely show up when Gray was around, with legitimate reasons.

A message on her phone popped up, bringing the biggest smile on her face. _He_ really knew when to cheer her up. Though they haven't had the chance to hang out lately, _he_ never missed the chance to talk to her. Lucy scrolled through a series of photos her best friend, former lover and forever soulmate sent her. One is of a blue cat surrounded with plush fish toys—Lucy's gift for Happy the cat. Another photo was of him making faces; the caption stated he was stuck at work during the long weekend. The last one was him holding his cat up close to the phone screen. Half of his face was covered by Happy. The caption said that Happy misses her.

Lucy brought her attention back to the two, when Gray told her to give them five more minutes. Lucy only nodded. If Gray didn't think Natsu would be good enough for Juvia, Lucy doubt Natsu would even give Juvia one glance. She knew Natsu like no one does, and Juvia would be the last girl he'd want to hook up with. However, she would definitely try and couple Juvia with someone else. Just so… just so she will have the assurance that there would only be friendship between Juvia and Gray.

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 **a/n: pretty long chapter, eh? anyway, i will keep the M rating as requested. however, I am still undecided whether to make some "scenes" graphic (as that's not my forte). let's just wait and see. I am already missing the autumn season, so that's where this story is set and going to winter.**

 **deep gratitude towards the ff: Angelina08, Godzilla327, cleverhead, Mariobluecrimson, QueenXCaramel, Nega Kris, FSM, shadow61953, ExpressLover22, BlackDragonShinigami, MaouokiKenjiro13, glittering-couch-potato, rosaji, wilathewitch, Snoopy A, and our 3 Guests.**

the next chapter or so will involve some flashbacks, which means more on the Gruvia and Nalu side. Hopefully all you readers will stick with me. Please leave me feedback and comments. It's very motivational in crafting the story (makes me write faster, ahem ahem!)

 **Uploaded: 081716**


	4. Seven Years Ago

**Chapter 4: _Seven Years Ago…_**

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There was a strong pounding in his chest that clearly indicated his fear. He had just gotten a phone call from her filled with truncated words, constant sniffing, hitched breaths, and definite sobbing. He couldn't get her to explain, but he had some idea what happened. At least he could relish in the fact that she was in the comfort of her shared apartment. Unfortunately, her roommate was out of the country. Perhaps she didn't have anyone to turn to and he was the next best thing. Either way, he was just relieved she called to him for help or support.

He was lightning fast, from getting dressed to hailing a cab. Taking the taxi in this part of Magnolia would cost too much money, but he didn't care. She was more important than the dwindling bucks in his bank account. Plus, waiting for the bus meant longer time before he could reach her. He arrived in front of her apartment door within twenty minutes.

Pounding on the door, he called out his name. No response. He banged his fist once more, and this time he yelled for her. Who gives a damn if the neighbours complain? As he was about to repeat the banging and the shouting, he heard movement from the inside. Someone was unlocking the door. However, it took a few moments before it finally opened.

She didn't even completely open it for him. No welcome whatsoever. Inhaling deeply, he made his way inside the apartment. It was dim and sombre, definitely reflecting her mood. He followed after her tiny frame wrapped in blanket. Her hair was dishevelled and her shoulders drooped. He still didn't get the chance to see her face, though he could guess how she looked like at the moment. She went straight to her bedroom without even giving him a glance. This was so unlike her, and he hated seeing her like this. She collapsed face down onto her bed just as he entered her room. The wailing began.

"What is it? Why are you crying?" His voice was hard, but he hoped she knew his sincere concern. No reply whatsoever, just continuous sobbing and sniffing. He let out an exasperated breath and went to her. "Tell me what's wrong." This time his tone was full of gentleness—a rarity in his case. He was always the aloof one; she's the gently and bubbly one. With shaky hands, he brought his fingers to brush through her hair. "Is it because of Bora?"

The mere mention of that bastard halted her crying. Finally she moved from her position to sit up and face him.

"What is wrong with Juvia? Is Juvia really suffocating and overbearing? Juvia loves him so much and gave him everything he wanted. What else can Juvia do?" Her barrage of questions stirred something inside him. It was a mixture of anger and envy.

"Stop it, Juvia. You know better." He really sucked at comforting people. But, what can he say?

"Is Juvia ugly? Is Juvia really fat? Even if exercise is tiring and time-consuming, Juvia is trying. It's true Juvia has a little belly. It's hard to make it flat." She continued to whine, even hiking up her pink cami to show her stomach.

Gray sighed. "I am not following you. But the answer to all your questions is no. What the fuck did that bastard tell you? What happened?"

Juvia bit her lip. Gray knew what kind of asshole Bora is, and Juvia knew her friends didn't like him. She always managed to try and paint him in a better light but to no avail. Gray urged her to explain. It took a few more minutes before she relented.

"Juvia found him in bed with another girl." Her voice was low and her eyes were averted away from his. "Juvia got mad, but he screamed at Juvia instead. He said that I had no right to get angry when…" she trailed off, tears dripping down her eyes like pouring rain. She didn't make a move to wipe them.

Gray wiped her cheeks with his fingers. He cupped her face and made her look at him. "What did he say?"

Juvia sniffed. "That Juvia is no good in bed. That Juvia can't satisfy him and he has the right to find it somewhere else."

Gray let his arms drop. He maintained his cool demeanour but his insides were boiling. "Where is he right now?" he asked, standing up.

Almost immediately, Juvia stood up in panic. "What do you mean? What are you going to do? Are you going to hurt him? Are you going to attack him?"

"Isn't that the most logical thing to do? I'm guessing you haven't told your brother as well?"

"Don't tell Gajeel!"

She grabbed his right arm but Gray was quick to get away. In her desperate plea, she pulled him back by encircling her arms around his stomach. With weakened knees though, Juvia collapsed on the floor, so she proceeded to hold onto his right leg.

"Please Gray. Don't go."

Gray still managed to break free, but he turned around to face her and crouched. "Why are you so hung up on him, Juvia? There are a lot of guys out there."

"But none who wants to be with Juvia," she countered.

"You don't know that cause you're not giving yourself a chance to explore."

"No, Bora's the only one who's willing to be with a gloomy person like me. Juvia can't lose him. So please don't hurt him, Gray," she continued to beg.

Gray was losing his patience due to the absurdity of what she's saying. He couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth. Sure, Gray was aware of Juvia's insecurities though they were thinly veiled most of the times. She had the tendency to self-degrade but delivered with a cheery smile. He hated the thought that her source of confidence—if one can call it that—was that asshole of a boyfriend. And now that bastard went full force with his vileness, Juvia's Pandora box had been opened.

"No one wanted to be with Juvia, even during high school. Juvia's awkward, ugly, and weird. No one asked Juvia out, only Bora. Only Bora was willing to be with Juvia." Her hysterics continued. She directed her gaze at Gray. "You probably never even thought of Juvia as pretty or sexy. You probably would feel disgusted if Juvia asked you to kiss her or sleep with her!"

"Are you sure about that?" Gray's jaw clenched upon hearing those words. "You don't know what you're asking…" he trailed off then placed his palm to cradle the back of Juvia's head. Without waiting for her reply, he pulled her towards him and kissed her hard. It caught Juvia by surprise; she stilled, even her breathing. Gray pried her lips to part and she did.

He didn't know how long he kissed her. It felt like eternity; he didn't want to stop. If only she knew how long he wanted to do it. Ever since that day at the bus stop, when they first talked. Ever since that time, and when their relationship turned from classmates to acquaintance to friendship. He had always been attracted to her, but she was strictly attached to someone else.

She was drunk with emotions; he was overwhelmed with passion. Soon, their limbs were entangled on top of her bed. He had always been quick to undress and Juvia matched this skill. Logic had been thrown aside. Intimacy wasn't what he came for that day. He just wanted to offer comfort. But if this was the type of consoling she wanted, then he was willing to give her more.

His hands explored body parts that were restricted. His lips trailed the smooth skin he lusted for. She equally did her share with caresses and kisses. Her room was filled with groans and moans of two friends who crossed that almost-forbidden border. He didn't even realize the consequences of no protection, but he was too caught up in the moment of heat.

Darkness surrounded them. They lay side by side; no words were spoken. They soon drifted to sleep.

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 _Gray,  
Juvia has an early appointment. Sorry had to leave early.  
_ _Also… sorry for putting you through an emotional blackmail.  
Juvia is very, very, very thankful._

* * *

Emotional blackmail? That silly girl. Gray rolled his eyes as he crumpled the piece of paper where she had written her note. He noticed his clothes were already carefully folded on top of the dresser. He took a glance at the wall clock hanging in front of her bed. It was eleven in the morning. If he deduced it correctly, he had more than twelve hours of sleep. He hadn't been sleeping properly due to stress of job hunting and taking on more shifts at his part time job. Juvia had always been a source of peace and relaxation for him. No wonder he managed to have such a good sleep with her in his arms.

A silly smile splayed across his face. Yeah, he wore the expression of a guy who had just got laid. But, this was different for Gray. For him, it might be the start of something better. And he was glad it involved such a beautiful and sweet girl.

An email popped up on his phone. Gray's eyes nearly bulged out of its socket. It was from a company he had been targeting since university. He wasn't accepted for an internship. However, now they were inviting him for an interview. He immediately replied and accepted the schedule the hiring personnel gave him. Two minutes later, he got a confirmation email.

Suddenly, everything was coming into place for him. Juvia truly was his good luck charm! He couldn't wait to tell him.

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Things were happening too fast. Happy things, and Gray couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive. Two days ago, he made love to a friend he's liked for quite some time. The following day, he aced an interview for an Account Coordinator position at a reputable advertising agency. Just this morning he received a job offer, which he immediately accepted. Not to mention, this company was where Juvia works as a Marketing Intern. He couldn't wait to share the good news with her. She would be ecstatic.

All left was to get a sense of where to take his relationship with Juvia. Of course he wanted to bring it to the next level—commitment and intimacy. He had no idea how to discuss that with her though. What if she rejected him? What if she wasn't ready to move on? What if… what if she didn't feel anything for him and just needed a temporary comfort that night? He thought about the note she left him, mentioning 'emotional blackmail'. Gray was unsure what she meant by that, but he had an idea, knowing the way Juvia's mind works.

The two hadn't talked to each other since that night, except for the note and one short text message they sent each other.

"Gray!"

Someone called out to him as he was about to enter the condominium building where Mirajane and Laxus lives. He made sure he wasn't wearing a silly smile. He coolly gave a wave to the angelic vision approaching him.

"Hey Juv. I was about to call you to ask if you've arrived."

Juvia gave him a small smile, trying not to look directly at his eyes. "Umm… sorry Juvia hasn't called. Thank you for, ummm… for comforting Juvia that night."

He could tell she was feeling embarrassed. He was too, but he was great at concealing such emotion. "No prob. You know you can count on me any time. Also…" he too trailed off. He was itching to ask her what would be next for them. An awkward silence grew between them. It was Juvia who broke the silence.

"Please forget Juvia's antics."

 _Huh?_ "Antics?"

"Juvia apologizes for her wrong behaviour. It was emotional blackmail, Gray. Juvia took advantage of you."

"Wait, what are you talking about?" He was getting confused, though he had inkling where the conversation was headed. He feared where it was heading. "Took advantage of me? You did? Do you remember what happened that night at all?"

Juvia took his hand in hers. "Gray, Juvia doesn't want to lose you as a friend. What happened between us shouldn't have happened. Juvia treasures our friendship so much, and Juvia thinks she ruined it." There were tears forming in her eyes. She looked so sad.

There was a momentary tightening in his chest. She wasn't saying it blatantly, but Gray read between the lines. Was she friendzoning him already?

"Juvia, what happened wasn't your fault. Don't make it sound as if you forced me into something. It was mutual. I wanted for it to happen."

Juvia shook her head vigorously. "Please Gray. Let's… let's forget what happened. Juvia begs you. Juvia doesn't want anything to change between us. Juvia wants you to be her friend for a long time. And, and," Juvia paused, looking down at the ground. She didn't release his hand yet. She clasped it tightly instead. "Gray is a friend I never ever want to lose."

For Gray, it was loud and clear what she wasn't saying. He pulled his hand away from her grasp, surprising her. Gray pulled Juvia into a hug. "We won't talk about what happened that night. It will just be between the two of us. A secret we'll both share. No one else will know. I promise. I'll always be your friend, Juvia. That will remain for a long time," he told her in a low voice.

"You're not mad at what Juvia did?" She looked at him with pleading eyes.

He released her and gave her a sincere smile. "No, of course not. In fact, I was the one who took advantage of your sadness. I lost control that night. It will never happen. When you need me as a friend, I'll be just a friend."

That made Juvia smile wider. She wiped the tears and her face brightened. "Don't think that, Gray. Juvia is thankful that you were there with her. Juvia is really lucky to have you. I love you, Gray."

And Gray knew that love declaration was definitely platonic.

##

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It took him two years to completely move on. There were moments of weakness, where he just wanted to grab her and yell that he wanted to be more than friends. But if he screwed it up, he would forever lose her (and perhaps subsequently most of their mutual friends). Gray couldn't foresee a future without Juvia. So if he couldn't have her as a lover, he was satisfied just being her friend.

It was hard. He kept casually dating different women, making sure none possessed qualities similar to her. Definitely no bluenettes too!

Juvia, for her part, had completely cut off any link to the asshole-named-Bora. However, she staved off long-term relationships. She went on dates, only to humour Lisanna and Mira who constantly arrange blind dates for her.

Their friendship progressed deeper. When they walk side by side, onlookers would think they're together. Juvia would cling to his arm or easily blurt an "I love you". Gray knew the sincerity in her words, but he also understood that she meant them differently.

That night in her apartment was never spoken of. Ever. Every now and then, Gray would think back to it. But before his mind allowed his lower body to react, he would erase those thoughts of making love to his best friend. Just as she requested. After all, her wish would always be his command.

Until he met Lucy.

* * *

 **a/n:** this is gonna be a bit long. 1st off: wow, FT CH 499/500! I'm writing FT fanfiction for the sole reason of LOVING Juvia's character. without her, I wouldn't even think of returning as an FF writer. I would've dropped all my stories if CH500 didn't happen.

Lastly, I appreciate ANY TYPE of feedback. However, I do think that Fan fiction writers have the CREATIVE LICENCE to make character a bit out of character. We need to twist the original character's personality a bit to suit our plot. The only one who can stick to the original characterization is Hiro Mashima. Anyone else adapting his work will commit the "OOC" label. And I don't think that's a bad thing. Also, isn't fan fiction supposed to give writers and readers a chance to explore a character outside its original state?

So, I'm not going to apologize for my characters being OOC. However, I'll do my best that these characters retain some aspects that Mashima gave them.

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING: **Pacifica Marie, wxirdchild, Angelina08, Rokushimo, Godzilla327, I muffin derpy, Baby pink 'n Baby blue, shadow61953, cleverhead, BlackDragonShinigami, rosaji, MaouojiKenjiro13, ashfrenzy, and the Guest reviewers.**

 **Anyhow, please continue to tell me your thoughts and predictions.**

 **Uploaded: 090516**


	5. Vagueness

Standard disclaimer applies.

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Vagueness**

* * *

"Stop lusting after a married man!"

Lisanna's biting remark snapped Juvia out of her trance. The two friends went for a post-brunch stroll by the lakeshore some ten-minute walk from Laxus's cottage. It was a cold Saturday mid-day, but the sky was blue and the sun shone brightly.

"Wow! That came out of nowhere, Lis. Juvia isn't lusting after Gray."

Lisanna replied with a snort. "And who said I was referring to Gray? You're so transparent, Juvie-woobie."

Juvia slightly pinched her friend's arm, earning a yelp from the silver-haired beauty. "And you're the epitome of a blunt bitch!" She feigned annoyance, but her tone was bubbly. "On a serious note, Juvia isn't really thinking about Gray." She hoped her sincere insistence would convince her friend.

Letting out a sigh, Lisanna threw her hands up in the air. "If that's the truth, then all the better. Gray is now a forbidden object of affection. He's an unrequited love that will never happen. He's an unattainable objective for your future marital plans."

"Really, Lis, what a way to make Juvia feel better. Thanks so much. Now Juvia feels so elated she could die."

"It needs to be said over and over again, just so you won't get any funny ideas of committing adultery." Lisanna spoke with a smile but her words were harsh. She gave Juvia a hug almost immediately. "Also, I really want you to just move on from this unrequited love."

Juvia sniffed. "Juvia knows you mean well, though you can sound pretty condescending. And Juvia also knows that it's karma biting her ass, since Juvia should've been more honest with her feelings."

"Say, Juvie-boobie, when did you actually fall in love with Gray? You easily tell him you love him, but you're like that with everybody. Hence, I don't think Gray ever took you serious when you were actually professing your love. Was it…" trailing off, Lisanna took a look at Juvia to observe her aura first. "Was it even before Bora?"

Juvia gave her a sad smile. "No. It took Juvia almost a year to get over Bora, or at least the idea of Bora. Juvia was so set on marrying him. Gray, he uhhh, provided Juvia…" she paused and looked towards the still waters of the lake. A memory from long ago flashed before her eyes. "Gray provided comfort and warm embrace for consolation."

"Did you sleep with him?"

It was a vow with him to never divulge this secret. "No," she lied.

"I see… I had this inkling you guys slept once or twice. I guess I was completely off. Intimacy would've changed your relationship anyway."

"Gray friendzoned Juvia anyway."

"Yeah, you mentioned that before. You sure you just didn't misunderstand? You can be quite… how do I say it without offending you?" Lisanna stared up into the sky, mouth open, a finger tapping her lower lip, as if she was in deep contemplation. "Well, you can be slow on the uptake, especially when it comes to hints."

"What? Juvia is slow? No, Juvia has always been praised for her analytical and critical skills."

"At work, yeah. But outside your professional life, you're pretty clueless at times. Back in uni, how many guys showed interest in you?"

Juvia scowled. "No one of course. Juvia was also very much committed to Bora as well. But, even without Bora, no one would even ask Juvia out."

"See, that's what I was saying. Even at your age, you insist on such things. It's frustrating because you love to self-degrade, when many might kill for your body and face. From what I can remember, there were a number of guys who flirted with you back in uni. You just kept them at bay. Just a week ago at Starbucks, someone talked to you randomly."

"It was just small talk, since we're waiting in line," Juvia reasoned.

Lisanna groaned out loud. "Gaaah! You kidding me? The way that man was looking at you was borderline creepy. He was ready to pounce on you if you two were alone."

Juvia shook her head. "Where is this conversation headed anyway?"

"Cause… cause I don't know whether I should say this or not. But, I really thought Gray was definitely attracted to you, especially during the first few years we've all known each other. Instead of him friendzoning you, I think it might've been you friendzoning him."

Juvia took off the scarf wrapped around her neck. She suddenly felt hot and sweaty. "No, Juvia doesn't think so," she said out loud, but something at the back of her mind was protesting. Could it be? Was it possible that _he_ could've been attracted to her? "Definitely not," she answered her internal questions.

"Well, too late to think and analyze about it now. You're not the type to break up a marriage anyway."

And then pink boy's face flashed before her eyes.

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The midnight December air was chilly and biting to the skin. Yet, Juvia welcomed the fresh feel of the cold to her flesh. Staring out her balcony made it seem that autumn still lingered; snow was nowhere to be found even though the forecast was that winter would be early. Still, there definitely was a shift in temperature compared to the previous weekend.

A sense of bittersweet-ness engulfed her, as she looked back to the long weekend holiday at Laxus's cottage. It dawned on her that from now on, it would always be 'Gray plus one'. The only consolation she can gather was that Lucy wasn't a bad company as Juvia expected. Though Gray's wife spent majority of the time sleeping, when she was around, she was pleasant and enjoyable to talk to. There were no similarities between the two of them, but Juvia felt that Lucy could be a good friend.

And it stung to admit that.

Sighing out loud, as if the world is on her shoulders, Juvia placed herself on the patio recliner chair Gajeel had discarded. It was the lone decoration in her balcony, where she usually watched the outside world as a form of relaxation. She sipped the hot tea she just brewed, enjoying the feeling of warmth covering her insides while the chilly air blanketed her outsides. She only wore an oversized shirt, so she knew she must head inside sooner. Everything was silent and peaceful until a hoarse voice snapped her out of reverie.

"You're gonna get sick."

Juvia turned her head to look up at the intruder of her quiet time. "Juvia loves the cold."

"Yeah? And I hate it. Give me a sec." With that, she was left alone again. It was only momentarily when he reappeared, carrying the heavy yellow comforter from her bedroom. "Stand," he ordered her.

"Wha—what are you doing? The comforter's going to get dirty!"

To no avail, her protests were ignored. He took the cup from her hand and set it down on the floor. He then plopped down on the recliner then pulled her to him, so that she was sitting on his lap. He then placed the comforter around their bodies.

"There. Isn't this better?"

Juvia squirmed, trying to get away, but she had to admit his body heat felt nice. He always exuded such warmth that it could be relaxing and uncomfortable at the same time. His right arm cradled her back, while the other caressed the exposed skin of her thighs. His ministrations were starting to affect her once more, and Juvia couldn't help but moan when his left hand reached the inside of her shirt.

She took a glance at his face; his eyes were closed but his lips displayed a smirk. "Stop it, pink boy," she mumbled, not really meaning it.

He raised a brow without opening his eyes. "You like it though," he whispered hoarsely.

His thumb encircled the hardening bead of her right breast, and soon her whole being was covered in tingles. Boldly, Juvia placed her lips on his well-shaven jaw with her right hand touching his neck. She rarely initiated intimacy with him; that's his job. But as soon as he started, Juvia was always willing to respond and display her own actions. For some reason, she actually found herself attracted to his jawline.

"Should Juvia leave a mark here?" she asked, her lips mere millimetres away from the skin of his neck. Natsu didn't respond; rather, he squeezed her boob with a mix of gentleness and eagerness of a lad. Whether he meant that as a yes or no, Juvia interpreted it as consent. When the deed was done, she stared at the forming hickey on his neck then checked his expression. She giggled. Natsu's eyes were closed but the tiniest of a grin was on his face. "You liked it that much." She rested her head on the crook of his neck, while he let his palm rest flat on her stomach.

"What exactly are we doing?" she finally asked.

"Uh, cuddling, I guess."

"That's… that's not what Juvia is asking."

"Is this a trick question then? Hugging? Or, going to have sex soon in your balcony for all the world to see?"

"You and your vulgar ways," she fumed, though not exactly angry. In fact, Juvia knew she was being vague herself. She couldn't bring herself to ask outright the status of their relationship? Was it even proper to call _this thing with them_ a relationship? The truth—Juvia was scared to put a label on what had been going on between her and Natsu.

A part of her was afraid that there might be feelings involved. Her heart still belonged to Gray, she's definitely sure about that. Another part of her hated to think she was just "sex buddies" with Natsu. It felt… cheap for some reason. Was it just lust that existed between them? There's nothing wrong with that, but how long should this last?

A deep silence grew between them, though it wasn't awkward. Juvia shifted her position to be more comfortable in his arms. Natsu followed as well, adjusting the blanket around their bodies. His hands also stopped travelling all over her body, as they wrapped around Juvia's shoulders to cradle her closer to him. She could feel his erection, but he made no move to satisfy himself. Juvia knew he was being quite considerate, knowing she might not want to submit to their desires right there.

A few more minutes of stillness between them transpired. Then, Juvia moved to straddle Natsu, causing him to widen his eyes in surprise. She then began to trace his jawline with kisses, pressing her chest against his.

"Are you finally horny?" Natsu gave her a toothy grin. He had the look of a brat who thought he made the wisest remark. But, the answer to his question was an affirmative and he could tell. Natsu's hand crept inside her shirt, travelling from her thigh to pelvic area. He traced her wetness with his finger. "You want me badly, huh?"

It only took a few minutes of foreplay with a long, passionate make-out session. Soon, Natsu's fully inside her and all the questions burning in her head were set aside. There would be a time and day for everything to be clarified. For now, Juvia was completely taken by her desires.

##

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 ** _21 Forest Hill Avenue  
_ _-Fireball_**

Juvia had been staring at her phone screen for quite some time now. She just couldn't decode why 'pink boy' sent her what seemed to be an address. Just as she was typing her response, in the form of a question of course, a text message notification popped up.

 ** _Take responsibility and cure me.  
_ _-Fireball_**

Frowning, Juvia erased the few characters she's already typed.

 ** _Huh? What do you mean?  
_ _-Blue_**

The reply was instant to Juvia's surprise.

 ** _Your fault I'm sick. Stuck here at home. Cure me. I texted you my address already.  
_ _-Fireball_**

Realization hit her, and her mind travelled to a weekend rendezvous outside her balcony. She wasn't sure how long the two of them spent out in the cold. They gave in to their lust right there and then, but they finished it off inside the living room with Natsu carrying her while still connected. But, was that enough to make him catch a cold?

 ** _You want Juvia at your place? On a Monday?  
_ _-Blue_**

 ** _Why not? Just be here after your work.  
_ _-Fireball_**

 ** _Oh, bring food!  
_ _-Fireball_**

She didn't know how to interpret Natsu inviting her to his house. All this time it was him stopping by at her place, rarely spending the entire night. In fact, now that Juvia thought about it, Natsu had only spent the night just once. Even then, he left at the crack of dawn. Juvia was stirred from her sleep as he crept cautiously out of her room. She didn't bother to ask him to stay.

She had never asked him to stay.

Now she wondered how it would be like to lay eyes on pink boy's face first thing in the morning…

 ** _Fine. Juvia is done work at 5. Do you know what bus to take to your house?  
_ _-Blue_**

 ** _I've never taken the bus. Just take a cab.  
_ _-Fireball_**

Juvia was about to complain how expensive it is to ride a taxi in the city. And from the address he gave her, it appeared he lived just outside the downtown core, nearing the suburbs. However, it seemed that pink boy was well aware of it.

 ** _Put it in my tab. I don't mind. Just get here and feed me.  
_ _-Fireball._**

 ** _Fine! Juvia will take the taxi from the office to your place!  
_ _-Blue_**

Flashing a mischievous glint in her eyes, Juvia giggled. The taxi fare would end up at around thirty to forty bucks. A fair price to pay for making her go all the way to his home just to feed him. Right away, Juvia jotted down a list of ingredients for a delicious get-well-soon meal she loves to prepare for her brother when he gets sick. Good thing there was a grocery store inside her office building. The feeling of excitement filled her entire being and she couldn't concentrate in her work.

A knock on the door distracted her momentarily. Gray's head popped in and he gave her that half-smile that made her heart bang loudly inside her chest.

"Got a minute?"

Juvia nodded, offering him her most welcoming smile. "Sure. What's up?"

"We rarely talk nowadays unless it's about work," he said, closing the door behind him. Gray walked towards Juvia's desk then settling in the seat in front of it. "Things had been very busy lately that we couldn't hang out much, huh."

"Yeah," Juvia agreed. She tried not to look at him for fear that tears might fall from her eyes. She missed Gray so much, and it was taking all her strength not to jump him and wrap her arms around his neck. "H-how's the married life?"

Gray chuckled. "It's great. Though Lucy's been on night shifts lately too, so our schedule's not converging."

"Sorry to hear that. Ar-aren't you guys planning to have a kid soon?" The moment the question left her lips, Juvia regretted it. She didn't want the thought of Gray making love to his wife.

"Not any time soon," answered Gray. "Both Lucy and I don't want kids yet."

"Oh…" trailing off, Juvia racked her brain to change the topic. "Ah, is there something you want to talk about?"

Gray ran his fingers through his hair, looking sheepish. "Actually, I just want to invite you for dinner after work. Just to unwind a bit. Plus, there's a hockey game so we can just head to the sports bar. We can ask the others to join us. Lis said she's no plans today, but I didn't ask her yet. I wanna know if you can go first."

"Who's Magnolia up against tonight?"

"Hargeon," Gray instantly answered, his eyes shining with competitiveness. Juvia was well aware of the fierce rivalry between the Magnolia Dragons and Hargeon Pirates. A game against Hargeon always pumped Gray out.

"I bet you're itching for Hargeon to lose."

"You betcha! So what say you? Up for some trash-talking against those loser Pirates?"

Juvia winked and raising a thumbs up. "Wouldn't miss it for the world!"

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"Deng! This might be the year the Cup arrives in Magnolia. Our rookies are great, ya know!"

Juvia giggled at the sight of a giddy Gray. She used to not care about ice hockey, though she occasionally watched when her father and brother would. But after being friends with Gray, she got used to the way the game is played and developed a bubbling excitement whenever a game is on. Gray also heavily influenced her on being a fangirl of the Magnolia team. And thanks to that, the bond between them grew.

Gray downed his second pint of the night. "Did you watch last Saturday's game? Overtime was intense." He signalled for another pitcher of beer.

"Hey, watch it. Puck drop isn't till 7:30. We still got a good hour to go," Juvia cautioned him with a shake of her head. She could tell Gray was being unusually excited for a regular season game. "Why are you so enthusiastic for this game? It's not like it's near playoffs time."

Gray waved his index finger near her face. "Tsk, tsk, dear Juvia. Every game is important. We need all the point we can get to vie for first place in the division."

Juvia rolled her eyes. "No shit, Sherlock! Juvia knows that. It's just you're too—how should Juvia put it—too giddy and perky. So unlike you, Gray."

Gray chuckled before bringing the beer mug to his lips. He took a couple of sips before he gave Juvia a sincere gaze. "I'm just glad we get to do this again."

Thank god for Juvia's control, cause if not, she might've burst into tears. She completely absorbed what Gray meant. Instead, she chugged her half-empty pint. She didn't know what to say to that. Should she tell him that it was his fault for getting married, thus preventing him to do what bachelors can freely do? You know, like hang out with single ladies like her during weeknights, and no one would interpret them being indecent?

As if being saved by the bell, Lisanna and Levy sauntered into the pub towards their table. "Hey Lis! Levy!" Juvia called out quite loudly, though unintentional. Gray just eyed her strangely. "Aw, you guys are here. That's good," Juvia said, knowing how she sounded awkward.

"Hey you two! Though I've seen you guys last week, it's been a long time that we hang out for a hockey game," Levy commented after giving Juvia a hug.

"Hey Juvie-boobie. You too, Gray-cray," Lisanna greeted them in her typical weird way, saluting. "Mira-weera's stuck at work, and Gajeel-bajeel is too damn popular nowadays to appear on pubs like this," Lisanna said with a snort.

"And Laxus?" asked Gray.

"He's just looking for parking. He picked me up and Lis," Levy answered. The server came by and took their drink orders.

"What time are they doing the first pitch?" Lisanna asked.

"This is hockey we're watching, Lis," Gray answered with a scowl.

"And how many innings are they playing? Lisanna asked once more.

"Again, hockey."

Juvia giggled. It was just like the "old days" with Lisanna trying to annoy Gray by purposely asking wrong questions about hockey. When their drinks arrived, and at the same time Laxus joining them, Lisanna stood to toast for Hargeon Pirates' victory. Of course, earning her a deadly glare from Gray.

"Heard you were sick?" Gray asked Laxus.

"Nah, just colds. Was stuck at home for three days last week. Must've caught it during the holidays."

Hearing this conversation, something inside Juvia clicked. "Shit! Oh shit! Oh damn! Shit!" She scrambled for her bag and grabbed her phone. She had five missed calls and three text messages. And she could tell a certain pink-haired man was pissed.

 ** _I'm hungry. Where are you? Stuck in traffic?  
-Fireball_**

 ** _Who makes a sick person wait in hunger? Why aren't you answering your phone? Are you alright?  
-Fireball_**

 ** _Okay, where the hell are ya? You still coming?  
-Fireball_**

"Sorry, Juvia needs to go!"

"What? We just got here!" Lisanna protested, along with Levy asking if something was wrong.

Juvia's mind was all over the place as she scampered off the seat. She bid them a hasty goodbye, not exactly realizing her friends were all staring at her in confusion. She barely made it out of the pub when someone gripped her wrist.

"Juvia, what's wrong?"

Turning around, Juvia gave Gray a worried look. "Juvia was supposed to go somewhere and completely forgot. Juvia hasn't even gone grocery shopping. He'll be so pissed!"

"He? Who's he?"

"Huh?" She clamped her mouth shut as it dawned on her what she just slightly revealed. Damn, she couldn't use her brother for an excuse. It'd be impossible to refer to her father as the 'he' since her parents live in a different country. Juvia didn't know many _HEs_.

"Umm… Sorry, Juvia will explain later. For now, Juvia needs to go."

"Can't you stay? It won't be fun without you. I want you here, Juvia."

And now she's completely torn.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm not exactly happy with the chapter. I feel that it lacks cohesiveness, however I don't want it sitting in my computer for a long time. I've been watching a lot of live hockey games, so my mind's filled with them lately. Hence, I might reference the sport every now and then. anyway, my plan for next chapter will focus on Natsu's past/background with Lucy, since I've already established Gray/Juvia's relationship.**

 **another thing, I reviewed and edited the inconsistent part in Chapter 1. anyone caught that? if not, i'll still tell ya. When Juvia and Natsu met, it was during a party where Gray proposed to Lucy. that was the original intent, but I scratched that and made them meet during the wedding...**

I am still undecided if this is a Navia, Gruvia, Nalu or Gralu fic. Just wanted to put it out there.

 **Thank you to those who left review/comments/feedback [and even minor insults lol]. it's greatly appreciated. See you next chapter.**

 **Uploaded: 101616**


	6. Plummet

**Chapter 7: Plummet**

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He's a pretty laidback kinda guy. Sure, some would often describe him as crass, crude, and a bit of a prankster. Some would say he's a disaster waiting to happen. He has a bit of a temper, but who doesn't? But the one thing he's not, it's being petty.

He takes everything in stride and accepts disappointments with a snort. He doesn't exactly hold grudges when someone fails to fulfill a promise.

But at the very moment, Natsu knew he was being very, superbly, terribly petty. Perhaps it was due to being stuck at home with stuffy nose, massive headache, itchy and sore throat, and dry cough. Perhaps because he was [as hard it was to admit] quite excited when a certain blue-haired chick promised to show up with food.

And of course, it was never good when Natsu got _hangry_. Hunger and anger were never compatible, especially for him.

The television was on with a hockey game playing. It was early in the second period, and his team was already trailing by three. Not a good sign, and definitely not helping to lighten his mood. Everyone in Magnolia was probably so deliriously ecstatic with the huge lead for the Dragons. Natsu was probably the only Magnolian cheering for the Hargeon Pirates. For some reason, though he was born and raised in the city, Natsu just couldn't give loyalty to Magnolia's sports teams. Whether it was basketball, baseball, hockey, or soccer, he always seemed to develop a liking towards other cities' teams. It was always a pain to watch any sports with friends, as most cheered for Magnolia.

"Damn it. Stupid, fuckin' Dragons!" He cursed out loud when the home team was awarded another powerplay. It just wasn't working for Hargeon. His stomach growled, and it reminded him of another reason to be angry. "What a liar! Agreein' to be here but not showing up!" He received a 'meow' as a response.

Natsu glared at a blue-furred feline staring at him with 'judging' eyes. "Shut up, Cat! Your fur reminds me of someone very annoying. Get outta my sight!"

Happy, his beloved companion, meowed at him with a condescending tone. He seemed to be lecturing Natsu for being such a sourpuss.

"Yeah well… if I promise you something and I forget about it, won't you be pissed as well? What if I say, 'oh Happy, lemme bring you some good grilled fish', and then I don't do it. Won't you be super annoyed, huh?"

Happy meowed again in response, and Natsu completely comprehended that his cat agreed. As if to let Natsu know he got it, Happy walked away and left the snappy pink-haired dude alone.

"Whatever!" Natsu called out to his pet. "Goddammit!" he screeched when Magnolia Dragons scored another powerplay goal. It was now 5-1, though there was still plenty of hockey left to play.

The message tone on his phone pinged, and a notification popped up on the screen. It was from 'Blue', indicating she would be arriving in ten or so minutes.

"As if I care," he said out loud, rolling his eyes, and intending to reply with a 'don't bother' message. Another message came in and it made his frown disappear.

 _ **Juvia is really sorry to be late. Will be there soon to feed you.  
**_ _ **-Blue**_

"Yeah well… you should really be sorry," he muttered under his breath. Natsu simply refused to acknowledge the tiny spark of happiness growing inside him. Nope; he's just glad that one of the Dragons players landed on the Pirates goaltender, with clear intent of distraction. That earned Magnolia a goalie interference penalty, and Hargeon enjoying an extra man on the ice. Yup, that's why Natsu felt a smidge of joy. Nothing to do with a certain blue-haired chick.

Two minutes passed, and the time ran out without Hargeon scoring, but the sound of his doorbell jerked him off his seat. He's not excited to see someone, just excited for food. He got to his front door in no time, opening it as quickly as possible. There stood in front of him was a red-cheeked bluenette carrying two full grocery bags.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, looking so surprised that with just one ring of the bell the door was already opened. There was a moment of awkwardness between them, but she managed to dispel it quickly. "Juvia is really, really, really sorry to be late. Juvia brought groceries for a really delicious get-well-soon meal!" she beamed at him, raising her arms to show him what she brought.

Natsu decided to play the grumpy role and rolled his eyes. "Yeah well, you shouldn't have bothered coming at all," he grumbled but proceeded to grab the bags in her hands.

"Juvia will make it up to you," she said, following after Natsu into the house, even without him telling her to come in.

Natsu could sense her eyes roaming around, probably discerning the look and feel of his home and matching it with is personality. He could guess what goes in her head, since it's practically the same as any first-time visitors—the house was so _NOT_ Natsu at all. "The kitchen's up ahead," he muttered. However, he paused and waited for her, as Juvia couldn't help but look around. "What? Something wrong with my house? Doesn't match me, huh?"

Giggling, Juvia gave him a thoughtful look. "You're more like a bachelor pad-type of guy, not…" she trailed off.

"Not what? Not the homey-type?"

The truth was, Natsu kept the way his father decorated the house, which was patterned after his mother's preferences. The interior had a charming balance with rose taupe colour giving warmth to the somewhat cold vibe of the grey walls. The mixture of off-white and beige accents gave neutrality, while the honey-like wood flooring added a much needed bright sophistication to the overall appearance. Point was, it was a big contrast to the oft-brash attitude that Natsu usually displays.

"My dad, he, umm… didn't want to change the way the house was after my mom passed away. It was to honour her and keep her presence alive, or somethin' like that." He felt the need to explain, but unsure why he was revealing a part of him he considers intimate.

"When… when did your mom—"

He didn't let Juvia finish her question. "Mom died of complications after I was born. I didn't really have memories of her. Anything I know of her came from my dad's stories. But if she lived, this is how her house would look like," he shrugged, trying to brush off a subject that's quite personal for him.

"Oh, Juvia's sorry to hear that." She walked closer to him, offering him a warm smile (or at least how warm smiles should be). "Let Juvia help you with the bags and let's go to the kitchen. Juvia should start cooking cause you're probably hungry."

Natsu refused to give her any of the bags and walked ahead. "Never mind that. I'm famished so just do your job as a cook." He spoke trying to sound harsh but it came off as playful instead. But whatever, he was now in a more jovial mood.

He set the bags in the island counter with Juvia following closely behind. He could tell she was probably amazed at how clean (and spacious) the kitchen was. "Yup, this kitchen is rarely used nowadays. My dad loved to cook, but I apparently didn't inherit that. I'm great at eating though." He turned around to face her and was caught off guard that she was actually standing a foot or two away. "Wha— what are you doing?" he asked in confusion when she proceeded to do something un-Juvia-like.

She cupped his cheeks with her palms. "You have a slight fever, I think. Juvia's no expert when it comes to that though, but you should be resting instead of walking around." To Natsu's surprise, Juvia caressed his cheeks with her thumbs in a gentle manner. "Have you taken any medicine?"

The annoyance and his plan to whine about her dissipated in no time. Natsu, blaming it on his sickness, let go of his callous façade. He encircled his right arm around her waist and brought her closer to him. "Make me food and I'll get better," he spoke in a low voice. He brought his lips down to place a kiss on her neck.

This type of intimacy was usually reserved for someone else, someone he's loved for a long time, who currently belongs to someone else. And clearly because he's not feeling well, he's uncharacteristically showing it to Juvia. He expected the bluenette to feel uncomfortable and step away, but she reciprocated by wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Juvia promises you a delicious meal, so go rest and relax for a while."

He didn't care how he looked; he was hungry—no, he was famished and the smell of homemade food made his stomach grumble loudly. The two of them were sitting on the couch, the hockey game on the TV was coming to its final seconds with the Pirates losing 6-2. He ate every spoonful of congee with vigour. Whether the deliciousness of the hot rice porridge was attributed to Juvia's skills or simply due to hunger, Natsu enjoyed the contents of the bowl he held in his hands. He was well aware the blue-haired lady watched him intently, eyes blinking, a napkin in one of her hands, while the other held a glass of water. She handed him the napkin the moment the spoon made a clanking sound inside the empty bowl.

"You should've taken your time eating," Juvia noted, and then handing him the glass of water next. "Were you _that_ hungry?" She gave him a half smirk, "Or perhaps Juvia's cooking is simply scrumptious?"

Natsu rolled his eyes and put the crumpled napkin inside the bowl. "First off, who says the word 'scrumptious' nowadays? Second, I was starving. Even Erza's bland food would taste delicious to me."

Juvia frowned, not exactly happy with his comment. "Scrumptious is a very nice English word, and Juvia doesn't know who this Erza is. You can be at least grateful for the meal." Her pouting made him snicker, and he found that completely attractive.

He brought his thumb to her forehead and smoothed out her wrinkled brows. "Frowning doesn't suit you. I like you better with a smile," he nonchalantly said, very aware of his somewhat untypical "romantic" behaviour. It's the colds, he thought to himself.

Juvia's reaction, however, was gold. Her cheeks were suddenly tinged in pink and she couldn't look him straight in the eye. Instead, she blinked away her shyness, if that's what it was, took the empty bowl and stood up.

"Well, enjoy Magnolia's win while I make you some ginger-lemon tea. It will help relieve your sore throat." She didn't wait for Natsu's reply and headed straight to the kitchen. Natsu observed that she moved around his house with comfort and ease, as if she's already feeling at home.

He turned off the TV, somewhat pissed that Hargeon lost, as they continue to drop in the rankings while Magnolia maintained their top spot. He headed to the kitchen and caught Juvia in time as she placed ginger bits in a boiling pot.

"Can you not put a lot of ginger? I hate the taste of it."

He stood behind her and snaked his arms around her stomach. He felt Juvia stiffen a bit but soon relaxed in his arms. She didn't say a word but added more ginger pieces.

"Hey! Honestly, I really don't like the taste of it!" He whined to her but made no move to stop what she's doing.

"No complaints. Ginger is good for you. Juvia will add some honey to neutralize the taste."

Natsu shook his head in belief. The three ingredients she's using were ingredients he didn't have in his pantry. "You really came here prepared, huh? I don't even remember the last time I had honey in this kitchen." He was now aching so much to kiss her, but he was considerate enough not to directly transfer any virus or bacteria—or whatever you call 'em—to Juvia. So, he did what he loved doing to her instead: kiss and suck on her neck until it left a mark.

Juvia gave him free access, arching her neck to allow him whatever he's doing. It didn't stop her from making his tea however. When she was done with the preparation, she turned around and faced him. "Drink your tea," she told him.

Natsu obliged, taking a sip but never taking his eyes off hers. After a few more sips, he put the cup down and brought a hand to brush strands of hair on Juvia's face. His left hand travelled inside her blouse, immediately cupping her breast. Juvia's eyes closed and she bit her lip due to the sensation. She tiptoed and inched her face closer to him, trying to reach for his lips. He stopped her from doing so, with his right thumb touching her lower lip.

"You'll get sick," he spoke hoarsely, already feeling a reaction inside his sweatpants.

"Juvia's been exposed to it the moment you opened the door," she replied with a shrug. This time, she was quick to peck his lips with hers. She gave him the look that indicated she wanted more. He was simply happy to oblige.

Natsu dipped his head and captured her mouth with hunger. His right hand travelled to her back, his palm pushing her gently towards him, so that her chest was pressed against his. Their passionate liplock lasted for quite some time. In the process, he had carried Juvia with her legs wrapped around his hip until they reached the living room. He'd take her to his room on the upper floor, but he couldn't wait any longer. She was equally eager to undress herself as well.

Foreplay be damned, and Natsu worked to free Juvia of her skirt.

"Damn it, Juvia, what the hell are you wearing?" he hissed as he was getting impatient trying to take off her black tights.

"D-don't rip it. Juvia likes these tights," she panicked. She took over rolling down the opaque stockings down her legs.

"Looks kinda hot though," Natsu snickered, kissing the exposed skin of her left thigh. He let Juvia shirk off her hosiery completely and instead went for her exposed breasts. The only barrier left was her bottom lingerie and Natsu gave her a toothy grin before sucking on her nipples. Juvia's moans were music to his ears. His throat was itchy and dry and he kept sniffing every now and then, but he continued his ministrations on her.

Juvia ran her hands inside his shirt and complained, "Why are you the only one fully clothed?" She questioned him as she brought her lips to trace his left jaw. In response, Natsu snorted and took off his shirt. They continued making out until they were interrupted with a loud meowing. Juvia was caught off guard and covered her chest. "Wha—is that your cat?" She half-shrieked, abruptly cutting her lips connection with his.

"Ugh, Happy get back upstairs. Don't interrupt!"

Happy, for his part, seemed to grumpily oblige as he quickly turned around and went back where he came from. Natsu dove back in to capture Juvia's lips but she back away.

"What?"

"Juvia doesn't want an audience."

Natsu scowled. "Audience? You mean Happy? He's used to it. You know how many times he'd walk in on me with a girl? Especially when Luce was here."

That response earned him a frown and Juvia placed her palms on his naked chest to push him away. "It's getting late. Juvia should go."

Scratching his head, Natsu realized he clearly messed up. It's never a good idea to mention other sex partners while trying to get some with your current one. "Uh… you can stay."

Juvia was already standing, picking up Natsu's shirt to cover her upper body. She traced their earlier path back to the kitchen where she dropped her clothes. He didn't follow her, since he's trying to figure out what to do to rectify the situation. After a few minutes, he arrived in the kitchen and found her fully clothed.

"Hey, umm… I think it's best for you to stay. Like you said, it's late and I don't trust the evening transit."

Juvia didn't face him as she cleaned up the dishes and tools she used to make dinner. "It's okay, Natsu. Juvia has already scheduled a cab. It'll be here in ten minutes."

"If you say so," he nonchalantly replied but a scowl was etched on his face. He left her and went back to the living room, trying to nurse a frustrating hard-on. Tactlessness had always been one of his major flaws. Scratching his head in annoyance—mostly at himself, the other part at Happy—Natsu paced back and forth torn whether to make her stay or not. He could just grab her, haul her off on his shoulder, and bring her upstairs. But, what if she interpreted that as being too forceful? That's the last thing he wanted. He could… beg? But, Natsu rarely begged for sex. Not even when he was with a steady girlfriend or sex buddy, his pride won't let him beg. But, he's horny and he badly wanted Juvia at the moment.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a phone ringing. It wasn't his ringtone, so he deduced it was Juvia's. He walked quietly towards the kitchen to listen in if it was the cab notifying her of its arrival. It wasn't.

"Oh, sorry that Juvia bolted out earlier," she said in apology. Natsu could see the phone placed between her shoulder and left ear, allowing her hands to continue with the kitchen clean-up. "Yes, Juvia saw the score. Dragons practically annihilated the Pirates." Natsu frowned at the exaggeration. He was now curious about the speaker at the other end.

"Really, Juvia is _soooo_ sorry to have left early. Huh? Umm… yeah, a friend. Not a boyfriend! What are you talking about?! Umm… Juvia needs to, uh, feed, uh, a friend's cat. Yes, that's why Juvia left in haste. It was to feed a friend's cat who's in vacation."

Natsu was not dumb. In fact, he's actually a very academically intelligent man. But even then, it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to theorize what Juvia was saying. She made plans with her friends, only to realize that she made plans with him. When she was leaving, she probably made some silly excuse, and now they're calling to interrogate her.

So, Natsu in this context was the "cat" she forgot to feed.

He was leaning on the entryway when she finished her clean up and conversation and proceeded to exit the kitchen.

"I'm assuming I was the cat? Is that why you were late?" he asked, his tone turning cold.

"Oh, you heard my phone conversation?"

 _No shit, Sherlock!_

"You forgot that you promised to stop by and made plans with other people?"

Juvia scowls at him. "Gray isn't 'other people'. What can Juvia do? It's been a long time since Juvia is able to hang out with him. When he invited us to watch the Dragons game, how could Juvia refuse that?"

"Ah, I see. It was Fuckbuster. How's the bastard doing? Is your seduction plan and breaking up his marriage working?" he questioned her with vivid sarcasm.

Juvia walked past him, looking mighty pissed. "Stop calling Gray names. Isn't that what we originally planned anyway? To break them up? Juvia doesn't see you doing your part."

"Really? That's the issue now? I guess you're really craving for Dickbuster, huh?" Natsu followed her to the doorway. "Where the fuck are you going? I don't think your cab is here."

"Juvia will wait outside."

"In the cold? And then what? You're going to blame me for getting you sick?"

"The cold won't bother me and make me sick. If Juvia's going to get sick, it's because of you!"

"You know what, Blue, you're actually doing a good job. Continue seducing Jerkbuster, so _MY LUCY_ —" the last part he said with such vigour, "—will be free from the clutches of Gray Douchebuster! Oh, and the Dragons are bunch of losers whose fans always think they'll win the championship, when it's been years since they last held the Cup." When Juvia didn't say anything in return, Natsu continued his rant, "I bet if Fullbastard tells you to open your legs for him, you'd do it happily, eh? You're hungry for him that much, huh?"

Juvia turned to him, fists clenched. Natsu backed away a bit, thinking she might slap or hit him with her bag. She didn't, but her words were enough to strike him like an upper cut.

"Juvia knows now why Lucy chose Gray…" she trailed off, perhaps deciding whether to deliver the blow. She did, and she spoke in a low voice that really cut him like a knife. "Because Gray is a man of principle, wit, and respect, and you're just a mere fuckboy. You will never get her back if you're up against Gray."

And with that, Juvia opened the door, stepped out of his house, and slammed it hard behind her back, leaving Natsu at a loss for words.

* * *

 **a/n: my sincere apologies for being away and not updating the stories. I have a "legit" (at least in my head) reason, and that's losing a USB with my fanfic chapters. And since that, the motivation to write disappeared for a bit. This chapter wasn't the original ch7, and I felt that one was better, but I just couldn't emulate it anymore. And I haven't even proofread this one, but I just want to upload it.** **Hopefully this one is still okay.**

also, I started a new job so that took priority (with all the training and adjusting to new routine). plus, when I was at my old job, I was able to "sneak" in personal writing. in this new company/position, there's just no way I can do that anymore.

 **with that being said, I haven't abandoned my fics. so to all who continued/and will continue to support/read it, thank you sincerely, and please look forward to the next chapter (and updates for other stories!)**

 **Uploaded: 022017**


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